Rotorua's Denise La Grouw has helped and supported others to make Hannahs Bay what it is today.
The manager of the Hannahs Bay Community Restoration Trust has been named a finalist in the 2011 Green Ribbon Awards, which honours outstanding contributions to protecting New Zealand's environment.
Miss La Grouw is among 29
finalists who have been selected from throughout New Zealand.
The winners of each category and an overall supreme winner will be announced at an awards ceremony at Parliament on Thursday.
Miss La Grouw, who is a finalist in the community and environment section, said she was quite "blown away" when told she was a finalist.
"It's not just me who does this. Lots of people do stuff."
But it is Miss La Grouw who oversees that activity as the manager of the Hannahs Bay Community Restoration Trust.
She works 20 hours a week overseeing various projects in the area that will not only help the environment but the children and at-risk youth growing up in the area. The trust was set up last year and before that she had worked on a voluntary basis as a member of the Hannahs Bay Catchment Group for eight years.
One of her roles has been to oversee tree planting.
"About 3000 people have helped plant native trees, helped weed it and maintain it."
She has also helped with the food gardens which have produced food for those in the area.
She also works alongside those who have been sentenced to community work or at-risk youth who help with the gardens.
She has helped organise community open days.
Her love and respect for the environment was something she was brought up with and Miss La Grouw said she felt lucky to be able to do the job she does, describing the role as "empowering and uplifting".
Miss La Grouw is heading to Wellington on Thursday for the awards and said she would be "stoked" if she won the category.
"It would allow us to get more support for our work."
For the 2011 Green Ribbon Awards, 203 nominations were received across 12 categories. The categories reflect the broad range of national environmental challenges and actions taken to address them. The nominations recognise individuals, businesses, communities and youth as well as larger organisations.
Opotiki's Tuhoe Putaiao Charitable Trust is also a finalist.
